After spending its first 10 years at the same location, the Louisville Polar Bear Plunge for Special Olympics moved upriver this year to the home of new presenting sponsor Tumbleweed on the River. Nearly 1,000 dedicated Polar Bears braved chilly temperatures and strong winds to make their way down to Tumbleweed to Get Their Plunges on, raising more than $264,000 for the organization.
Shockingly, more than 15 percent of that total came from just one team. In their fourth year participating in the Plunge, the Ice Socks have gone from raising just more than $10,000 in their first year to raising nearly $40,000 in 2009. The team, led by Russell Miller, has blossomed into a 41-person outfit that continues to set new standards each year. The group was originally inspired by Special Olympics National and World Games athlete Kyle Gathoff when they saw a story about him in the local paper. This year, prior to the Plunge the team got to meet Gathoff for the first time. The total easily won the Ice Socks their second consecutive Top Fundraising Team award.
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Tumbleweed on the River managers present Special Olympics Kentucky a check for $9,000 during the
Polar Bear Plunge Opening Ceremonies. |
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Not surprisingly, Miller was also named King of the Polar Bear Plunge this year, raising $7,157 himself to support Special Olympics. Miller's Ice Socks teammate Tracy Davenport was the Queen of the Plunge in her first year taking part in the event after raising $3,200. In the first year that the Polar Bear Plunge has crowned a Prince and Princess of the Plunge, honoring the top fundraisers between the ages of 7- and 12-years-old, Blake Bray was the Plunge Prince and Bailey Sivori was the Plunge Princess. Bray raised $4,300 to carry on a family tradition as father Brian Bray is a multiple-time Plunge King. Sivori raised $542.
The Ice Socks also won the Polar Cup for the largest team in the Corporate/Civic Division. They were joined by Law Enforcement Polar Cup winners Metro Corrections Lodge 77 (7 members, $1,809 raised) and School Division Cup winner Oldham County Colonels Ice Breakers (19 members, $1,810 raised).
See/Purchase Plunge Photos Here
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Some of the nearly 1,000 Polar Bears hit the water at the 2009 Polar Bear Plunge. |
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Our thanks to everyone who made the Plunge such a tremendous success, especially our emcees — Ray D'Alessio and Carrie Weil from WAVE 3 and James and James from Indicators Improv and Jay from More Than Entertainment — and all of our sponsors — presenting sponsor Tumbleweed on the River who played host to the event for the first time; WAVE 3, 102.3 The Max, 105.1 WLRS and 99.7 WDJX all of whom dedicated air time to promoting the event; CBS Outdoor, which provided billboards; promotional partner Louisville Mojo, which also had a team jump for the sixth consecutive year; Walnut Ridge Pool and Patio, which provided hot tubs for the event; The Kentucky Law Enforcement Torch Run, which produced the event and also had several members take the Plunge and AAA Travel which provided a Caribbean cruise for two on Carnival Cruise Lines that went to a Polar Bear drawn from qualifiers at all five Kentucky Polar Bear Plunges this year. Thanks as well to Krispy Kreme who provided donuts and hot chocolate for the Polar Bears and spectators.
We also, of course need to thank the men and women of Louisville Metro Police and Fire Departments who manned the docks to keep our Polar Bears safe.
The Louisville Polar Bear Plunge was one of five Plunges in Kentucky in 2009. The events produced records in the state for both participants and dollars raised. Polar Bear Plunges in Lake Cumberland, Lexington, Louisville, Newport and Owensboro saw more than 1,800 people take the Plunge, raising more than $510,000 for Special Olympics.
For information about sponsorships or how to participate in the 2010 Polar Bear Plunge either as a sponsor, participant or team leader, contact Candace Thompson, Special Olympics Kentucky Special Events Coordinator at 326-5002 or 800-633-7403 or via e-mail at cthompson@soky.org.
King of the Plunge — Russell Miller; $7,157 raised
Queen of the Plunge — Tracy Davenport; $3,200 raised
Prince of the Plunge — Blake Bray; $4,300 raised
Princess of the Plunge — Bailey Sivori; $542 raised
Polar Cup Corporate Division — Ice Socks (Champion Trucking); 41 members, $39,146 raised
Polar Cup School Division — Oldham County Colonels Ice Breakers; 19 members, $1,810 raised
Polar Cup Law Enforcement Division — Metro Corrections Lodge 77; 7 members, $1,809 raised
Frosty Cup (Top Fundraising Team with 8-20 members) — The Bear Necessities; 15 members, $10,023 raised
Frigid Cup (21-35 members) — Zappos.com Ice Shoes; 32 members, $5,785 raised
Frozen Cup (36-50 members)/Top Overall Fundraising Team — Ice Socks; 41 members, $39,146 raised
Costume Contest Winners — Bethlehem Baptist "Nerds" and "Shark Attack"
